The Capital Limited Amtrak train derailed in Kensington, approximately 10 miles from D.C.’s Union Station this afternoon at 2:15. At this time it’s known that at least 6 cars and possibly 8 are derailed and lying on their sides; 194 people were traveling southbound on the train from Chicago to Washington D.C. At least 6 people are critically injured, and have been taken to area hospitals. Many others with injuries are being treated on site. Fire and police rescue teams are still helping passengers climb out of the cars.

If you’re concerned about a friend or family member traveling on that train, here’s the Amtrak for information number: 1-800-523-9101

I thought Mr. Potatoehead was a friend of yours; surely you’re not going to eat him?

Of course not. I’m referring to the time I saw Mr. Potatoehead’s face in a pancake; it was quite like the experience of the woman who saw Jesus in a taco shell. I’m just kidding; what I’m really referring to is the time Mr. Potatoehead, disguised as a pancake, entered the local Denny’s restaurant.

Why was he disguised as a pancake?

The regulations on driver’s licenses require Potatoes to be at least able to see over the dashboard; however, pancakes are eligible to drive when they are capable of stacking. Mr. Potatoehead at the age of twenty five, knew he was not going to reach the required height, and thus had come up with the ingenious idea of passing himself off as a pancake.

But why go to Denny’s?

Since we did not thoroughly understand the nature of pancake stacking, we though it was a good place to start. Trouble began as soon as we entered the establishment. Pancake pandemonium broke out of the kitchen, screaming obscenities and hurling scrambled eggs at not only Mr. Potatoehead, but at the innocent clientele as well. The once docile patrons, now tipped over chairs and upset tables in their mad rush to escape the flying eggs. Knives and forks began to rattle like sabers, and Pancakes leapt off of plates and began jockeying for life saving positions. Mr. Potatoehead’s plan; however, ingenious had unwittingly started the Pancake Revolution.

I never heard of the Pancake Revolution?

It’s been kept under wraps for a very long time. As a matter of fact, the Pancake Revolution marks the beginning of the end of species specific regulations. Now that’s a wrap fact in a manner of speaking, even though speaking of spoken is verboten.

Eve @ Creative Doubt has just posted the first of 48 posts in 24 hours. You go girl!”

What’s going on with you?

Baltimore’s Artscape 2002 is what I’m going to do. Last year it was great; so my expectations are high. The other things I’m going to do is start a new painting, and put the abstract for my thesis online.

Groove Workspace, which is highly encrypted (not easily hacked) desktop software for file sharing and collaboration. My brother is writing the security white paper for Groove. Files can be updated/changed/shared immediately by anyone within your selected group. The personal trial version allots you 3 share spaces, which means you can share whichever files you choose with three other computers/people. The purchase version allows you an infinite number of share spaces.

Why would I want it?

I don’t know, but I can tell you why I want it. Art Attack Central is a partnership; I do the design work and my partner does writing/content development. First, rather than sending updates/changes via email, we can instantly share/work on the files when both of us are online. Secondly, if I make changes to a files we are sharing, my partner’s files will be immediately updated when she gets online, and she will be alerted to changes made on those particular files.

The second Elliott incident, that occurred while I was away was not as minor as the first. Abbott was sound asleep in bed. The bed is right next to a tall oak dresser. On top of the dresser is an old brass lamp, which we turn on and off by turning the light bulb. Elliott, bored with all this sleeping non activity, decided to jump up on top of the dresser. The lamp fell off, landing on Abbott, and turned on. Abbott leapt out of bed, and Elliott careened out of the room. Abbott dashed out the door after Elliott, and saw him race to the third floor, where he made an attempt to land gracefully on the railing, which is round and not flat. His landing was not efficient; Elliott dangled precariously from the railing, and how he held on I don’t know. Abbott bolted up the stairs, grabbed him up, and saved him from a three story fall.

Maybe he learned his lesson?

NOT! While I was cruising the net this morning, I heard him jump out in the hallway. There’s nothing to jump to in the hallway except the railing. I almost turned my chair over in my panic to get out there. My heart pounding, I called his name softly as I watched him walk smartly down the rail, towards me and the newel post. When Elliott reached the relative safety of the post, I scooped him up. The only thing he’s learned is how to land on the railing, and I’m not sure he’ll make it every time. It occurred to me that perhaps I should put a trampoline at the bottom of the stairwell, but I’m afraid that would only encourage him. I’m thinking of getting a cat trick training book. Elliott and I will go on the road together, and make a fortune entertaining our way across the country. When we reach Hollywood, he’ll decide to settle down, and become the kitty cat therapist he was meant to be, and I will become a stunt woman.

I find this a tough question, because on the one hand, I’m against censoring, but on the other hand I find sites which promote rape as porn quite frightening. I can’t open my internet mail without at least one porn solicitation waiting for me to click. They send mail to whoever; of course there’s the, “Don’t Enter the Site, if You’re Under 18!”. Excuse me, but the sites don’t know how old I am if I click on enter. I thought about snuff films. Do they lead to more snuff films, and then I found this on the Skeptical Inquirer. Even though I respect their logic, I’m not sure about this one.

I find the world of instant information fantastic, but it’s still the beginning of this new world, and we don’t know the consequences down the road, or just around the corner. Hmmm… I guess it was such a tough question that I can’t really answer it completely. I don’t think that’s because I’m a fence sitter; I think it’s because all the evidence is not in. However, I will say that I think it’s dangerous for children who don’t understand what relationships are about.

2.) What do you think about people being held in jail without charges, without access to a lawyer, or a phone call for an indeterminate period of time?

Of course, Elliott created havoc for Abbott. The first relatively minor incident (more trouble for Abbott than Elliott) occurred on the first night I was away. Elliott was nowhere to be found. Abbott searched the house many times without success. Elliott was softly singing high above the kitchen counter, peering out from an upper cabinet. In fact the cabinet is so high up, you need a ladder to reach it. Abbott is partially deaf, and thus was unaware of the kitty cat soprano singing up above his head, as he paced the kitchen wondering how he was going to explain the loss of Elliott. Finally in desperation he called his daughter, asking her to help him search the premises. And remember I said softly singing; Elliott has a very tiny voice. After completing another search of the house, the two stood in the kitchen considering what might have happened and what could be said? Apparently, at that very moment Elliott decided to give one more demonstration of his singing ability, and was thus rescued from his 6 hour perch.

What else happened?

I’ll have to tell you later; gotta run. My off line life is way out of hand.

I met/saw Eve and Leah yesterday. Of course this meeting happened, after a missed exit, winding up in downtown Boston, and having to traverse the city to get back to Newton. Lucky for me they were still waiting for me even though I was a half hour late. It was great, I’ve got a picture, and will post it upon my return. You are on your own for the Tuesday Too this week, as this is most likely my last access to a computer until the 19th.

Change of Plans

Okay, on the computer again. I’ve made up some questions; I’ll post them tomorrow morning before I leave for Cliff Island. So if you’re hell-bent on doing the Tuesday Too, on whatever day, they’ll be up in the AM.

“Society has always seemed to demand a little more from human beings than it will get in practice.”